Murder of UNH student comes as heavy blow on campus

DURHAM — Students and administrators at the University of New Hampshire were jarred and saddened Saturday by the news that a 19-year-old female student was allegedly murdered near the campus.

At their homecoming celebration on Young Drive, several UNH students shared their thoughts on the Elizabeth “Lizzi” Marriott case, many of them learning for the first time one of their classmates had been killed.

Seth Mazzaglia, a Dover resident and 2006 UNH graduate, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Marriott's death.

During a press conference in front of the Dover police station, Assistant Attorney General James Vara announced police have gathered credible information to believe Marriott is dead, but they have been unable to locate her body.

Portsmouth and state police have been scouring the area around Prescott Park and Pierce Island in Portsmouth since around 7:30 p.m. Friday night. They remained there Saturday.

Vara said his office believes the UNH campus isn't facing any ongoing safety threat, and that the murder case isn't related to UNH, other than the fact that Marriott was enrolled there.

Marriott was a sophomore in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. She was studying marine biology, and residing with family in Chester while commuting to UNH. She was in her first semester at the school. The school will hold a moment of silence in Marriott's honor during Saturday night's men's hockey game.

“We were greatly saddened to learn of Lizzi's death and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and friends,” UNH President Mark W. Huddleston said in a prepared statement. “Lizzi was a new member of the university community and will be missed in our classrooms. Our focus now will be on supporting our campus community during this difficult time.”

Drew Gaberseck, a 20-year-old UNH junior from Hillsborough, called the episode “disturbing,” and out of place on the UNH campus in Durham. Junior Emily Pineault, a 20-year-old from Weare, agreed it was hard to imagine a violent crime befalling someone at her school.

“People have been really curious, about what's been going on …” Gaberseck said. “No one's really understood what was going on.”

California native Niki McCarron, a 19-year-old UNH sophomore, said her friends were involved in spreading fliers about Marriott's disappearance this week. She said the death will inevitably come as a hard blow to UNH students who knew Marriott, and others from her hometown of Westborough, Mass.

Paige Goodman, a 19-year-old sophomore from Hanover, Mass., said the event has put some UNH students on edge.

“My mom tells me about this kind of stuff all the time,” Goodman said. “I don't go anywhere alone. There are people out there who are like that … I can't imagine how her family feels. To hear she's missing, and now to hear about this guy.”

Counseling staff will be available to UNH students at the school's counseling center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week. Help is also available around the clock by calling 603-862-2090.